Back to You

Some of those fake games are real. The rest are EVEN MORE real. I always wanted to do a take on the 1967 Battleship Box, which is something that happened, for any of you that have never seen it.

Dad and son enjoying leisure time while mother and daughter do the dishes. Even little Susie is resigned to only getting amusement from watching men have fun. Something like that. Wouldn’t fly today, right? Didn’t fly back then, either. Milton Bradley got so many complaints this box only ran one printing from what I’ve read.

Naturally I gotta make mom more Stepfordy with her Stepford clone daughters. Took two days just doing all the box art and logos. I always have fun looking at vintage ads for things, as I’m sure most have you have seen on occasion.

I almost used this one as a title for the background boxes. Reminds me of “Don’t Wake Daddy.” There are plenty more ads and products like these, so have fun deep diving that if you ever have. You can get lost in ‘old cereal box designs’ by itself. Some are funny. Most outright absurd, and even insulting or dangerous. Amazing how many products had straight up heroin in them, and advertised as such.

I loved the idea of overtly sexist games still making Ellie overjoyed because it’s in her wheelhouse. Even with a proxy 1960’s Ellie on the box of a questionable game concept.

Also, you know, who’s showing appreciation for it is pretty important to her. David’s not dumb. He knows Ellie can’t live in the shadow of his deceased wife. He has to let Ellie get her foot in the door, so to speak. See you Friday. :)

Wait, so you might be the first person to suggest that grape nuts is not only a breakfast cereal, but may also serve as an Easter Egg in that it also hides hidden switches to hidden rooms, which also suggests that this particular box of “quote GRAPE NUTS unquote” may just unlock the secrets of the sun room as well as Mr. Blue Sky’s hidden lair?

A real board-game that should have made the cut is Public Assistance… which is a game where you try to manipulate the welfare system. It’s pretty much as offensive as it sounds – it’s far more profitable to have kids and go on PA than it is to work!

I managed to inherit a pair of board games that were monopoly ripoffs called literally “Get off the Welfare” that was made back in the 80s. one is still mint condition, were on the shelves for a total of a week before being pulled.